Accessory Manufacturer Claims 15-Inch MacBook Air Coming in April

[milo]

It does exist

You mean TB to ethernet adapter? Does it exist? Link please.

Hackintoshes are not replacements for Mac Pros. Or Xserves. Or any other "pro" computer from Apple used by true professionals in the exercise of their profession.

Are they "viable" solutions for cheapskates who really don't need the power of a Mac Pro because they're just hobbyists with a spec fetish ? Sure, why not.

Nonsense. Just because you are scared to try it doesn't change the fact that it's a great option for professional work.

Honestly in many ways they're a better solution than the mac pro, the wider selection of hardware means you can get things like USB3 and more ram slots. I built one about 2.5 years ago that still has a better ram capacity than the base MP shipping right now, plus it's much faster for about half the price. Building one now would have an even greater price/performance advantage. And once I had it built and the software installed, the maintenance has been no more than any of my "real" macs.

CPU benchmarks mean nothing when you need IO and memory capacity.

My post was just a response to someone claiming laptops couldn't be used for "pro" work because the CPU isn't good enough.

 

[KnightWRX]

Nonsense. Just because you are scared to try it doesn't change the fact that it's a great option for professional

Can you show me where I can get a support contract for your hackintosh solution ? Otherwise, you're not changing my mind.

 

[cmChimera]

You mean TB to ethernet adapter? Does it exist? Link please.

The link I had is down at the moment. So here's another, for a product to be released in Q2 2012. Coincidentally, so does the Macbook Pro hopefully. http://www.sonnettech.com/news/pr2011/pr041111_thunderbolt.html If this does not satisfy you, feel free to google stuff yourself.

 

[Eric S.]

Hackintoshes are not replacements for Mac Pros. Or Xserves. Or any other "pro" computer from Apple used by true professionals in the exercise of their profession.

I agree.

Are they "viable" solutions for cheapskates who really don't need the power of a Mac Pro because they're just hobbyists with a spec fetish ? Sure, why not.

I'm not a hobbyist, just a home user with more modest requirements than would justify a Mac Pro, yet greater than a Mac mini will satisfy. I don't consider myself a "cheapskate" either, as I have poured more money than I can easily count into Apple products over the past 25+ years, and if they were still producing mid-range desktop computers like they used to I would happily shell out more money. I waited a long time hoping for one and finally had to give up.

 

[Yujenisis]

Are they "viable" solutions for cheapskates who really don't need the power of a Mac Pro because they're just hobbyists with a spec fetish ? Sure, why not.

I agree with the first part of what you said, but not with the bit I quoted.

Cheapskate assumes intention is the same for everyone.

People build Hackintoshes for many reasons, certainly among them not paying what they perceive as the "Apple Tax", but many also enjoy the challenge and hobby of building and maintaining such systems.

 

[KnightWRX]

People build Hackintoshes for many reasons, certainly among them not paying what they perceive as the "Apple Tax", but many also enjoy the challenge and hobby of building and maintaining such systems.

If people want challenge and a hobby, they should look to things like FreeBSD or Linux on self built system. People doing hackintoshes do so to get OS X without having to respect Apple's term, in breach of the copyright.

 

[FluJunkie]

If people want challenge and a hobby, they should look to things like FreeBSD or Linux on self built system. People doing hackintoshes do so to get OS X without having to respect Apple's term, in breach of the copyright.

Hell, I'm even alright with people building Hackintosh machines as a hobby project and a challenge.

But the notion of using them in a production setting? *shudder*

----------

Yes, it's more maintenance than an Apple Mac, but you save a crap-ton of money for the power you get.

That depends on how much you bill out. Time spent on "more maintenance" and research and compatibility checking is time you aren't making money.

Uh? Right.. which is exactly my point. You're wasting OS X on a weak machine... for thinness... or "portability" or whatever.. when iOS functions much better for that purpose.

What's the advantage of OS X over an iPad again? Oh right. Power, and file management.
Wait? You're telling me the MBA limits power, storage, and peripherals - therefore file management?
Oh. Well that kinda defeats the purpose of running OS X.

Cause if you water down the power, and the storage, and the ability to obtain / distribute files... then you get.... oh. Wow. iOS.

"Oh hey there. Where'd you get an iPad soldered into a MBP body?"

*boggle* This makes...no sense at all. The MBA doesn't limit any of those. Power maybe, if you're running CPU bound tasks, but the others? We have external interfaces. *Any* laptop isn't going to have unlimited storage and peripheral capacity. Is a 17 inch Macbook Pro indistinguishable from a iPad? It doesn't have every single possible way to access a file ever built in, so it limits your ability to obtain/distribute files.

 

[little.pm]

I totally agree that it can be done, I’ve _never_ said to the contrary ... what I said was you can’t just assume it can be done without knowing the rationale, i.e., you can’t just casually dismiss a large organizations decisions, and for that matter, even if it’s poorly thought out, sometimes you can’t override them once they’re in place (so you have to work with what you’re given).

Bear with me. Somebody said that IT folks are autistic, professional at that, but still autistic.
We could agree, that it is technically possible to reserve an IP address for any NIC MAC address in a network.
We could also agree that some organizations limit this possibility for some reason.
We could agree that these reasons might not be understood by the end user.
We could agree, that the size of the network demands different tools to manage those reservations.
But we all know, that the end user does NOT care for these issues - they know it possible as we do and hence they ask for it. We know ho two give it to them but some superior powers have no clue about this and hence say rather no than to allow a user to reuse an IP address. (is-ought problem)

 

[throAU]

re: hackintoshes

If you're using one in business, you're insane.

No support, could be broken by an update at any time, of questionable legality (you realise you're breaking the EULA, right? and I'm quite sure the penalties for that sort of thing are a LOT bigger for a commercial entity).

But the biggest kicker is that computing purchases made for a business are a tax write off anyway. And time spent faffing about maintaining a hackintosh is going to impact production. If your machines generate revenue for the company at a rate of say, $1000-2000/day (which is not at all unreasonable), down-time spent screwing around getting a hackintosh to work will very quickly have a financial impact so big you may as well have just paid the "apple tax" and actually had vendor support if you need it.

As a hobby? Sure, go for it, I tried it for a while, but the need to screw about kinda defeats much of the purpose of using a mac for me. I'm a technical user - Unix admin by trade for 16 years and I have enough crap to deal with at work. I have FreeBSD as a hobby OS if i want to spend time doing that sort of thing....

 

[twoodcc]

i think it'll be a macbook pro, not air

 

[KnightWRX]

Hell, I'm even alright with people building Hackintosh machines as a hobby project and a challenge.

Don't get me wrong, I don't care what people do with their stuff. But let's call things by their names and not hide our heads in the sand.

But the notion of using them in a production setting? *shudder*

I'm even more amazed some people who suggest it, let alone defend their suggestion when told it makes no sense and the reasons why it doesn't. These people must think that IT is a bunch of PC systems builder who buy parts from Ingram, assemble PCs and self-support them or something...

 

[xinu]

Can you show me where I can get a support contract for your hackintosh solution ? Otherwise, you're not changing my mind.

FYI there is lots of people in this world who are quite capable to run updates on their hackintosh machines by them selves.

And with PearC machines, the PearC company releases click-n-play patches for Mac OSX every time there comes OS upgrade.

The only difference between MacPro and Hackintosh is the EFI chip onboard in APPLE machines. And that is 100% emulated with software during the boot so OSX wont see any difference what so ever is it genuine Mac or Hackintosh.

And everything is 100% compatible because MacPro is just an ordinary PC machine with EFI chip inside.

I think personally that EFI violates human rights and I will always use Hackintosh machines.

For 2000 USD you can build a machine which beats the crap out of 4000 USD MacPro

 

[KnightWRX]

FYI there is lots of people in this world who are quite capable to run updates on their hackintosh machines by them selves.

We were talking about in a professional setting for Pros right ? Pros who when they aren't using their computers to produce content or do their actual core work are losing money instead of making it.

So yeah but no... It's insane to think a Hackintosh is a viable replacement, especially considering the questionable legality of it all, for an actual Pro doing actual Pro work (whatever the profession).

"Hey, where's the Mill acount ?"
"It's coming, we just have to find why the last update prevents the machines from booting, but Joe down in production thinks he found a forum post about missmatched kext's. We're firing up the hex editor and we'll have the shop back up in no time, if it works".

I think personally that EFI violates human rights and I will always use Hackintosh machines.

You've obviously never worked extensively with EFI and it shows. It's leaps and bounds ahead of a BIOS. Of course, what Apple ships is a pale comparison of what it can do. Give an HP Integrity platform a whirl once in a while to see how much power EFI and the EFI shell provides (and no, you can't HPintosh a x86 machine with HP-UX).

Be warned though, those are big boy toys for people who actually do work with computers, not hobbyists who want to pretend they know something about IT.

 

[rovex]

Unless practicality is an absolute must I'm not sure why anyone would bother with the air. If rumours are to be believed and the refreshed pro will shed its optical drive and therefore further its svelteness on top of greater CPU/GPU leverage I wouldn't even begin to consider a purchase.

 

[KnightWRX]

Unless practicality is an absolute must I'm not sure why anyone would bother with the air.

Yeah, there's absolutely no advantages to a slim laptop that weights like half what a MacBook Pro does but carries about 90% of its computing power. No siree, no advantages at all.

I got an Air because frankly, it does everything I need it to do (it upgraded a 2.0 ghz MacBook Unibody that was already overpowered for my needs) and it doesn't feel like I'm dragging around a ton of brick on my back on the motorcycle (I've also since changed my backpack to a splendid design by The North Face which further reduced the weight I feel. It's now like riding with nothing on my back).

 

[rovex]

Yeah, there's absolutely no advantages to a slim laptop that weights like half what a MacBook Pro does but carries about 90% of its computing power.

if only it actually carried 90% of its computing power.

For a start, the price doesn't even warrant the specs especially if, as previously mentioned, the revised pro cuts down on its weight and dimensions while preserving its much acclaimed horsepower.

Of course they may well be fit for different purposes but in any case air doesn't cut the mustard for those that actually need something decent to work with without paying the extortionate premium of a conveniently light mid-to-low powered notebook.

 

[camardelle]

Will it be powerful enough. Why not bump up the processor too?

 

[KnightWRX]

if only it actually carried 90% of its computing power.

As someone who actually owns one, I can tell you it does.

For a start, the price doesn't even warrant the specs

Until you get smart about your shopping and figure out that Weight and Size are also both specs on the spec sheet. And frankly, until you do, you have no business discussing the MBA's asking price.

 

[rovex]

As someone who actually owns one, I can tell you it does.

You really have no clue what you're talking about in that case.

Until you get smart about your shopping and figure out that Weight and Size are also both specs on the spec sheet. And frankly, until you do, you have no business discussing the MBA's asking price.

I'm smart enough to know a MacBook air isn't 90% as powerful as its pro counterpart. Maybe I read the wrong spec sheet or just simply speaking to someone who doesn't know his numbers very well.

 

[KnightWRX]

You really have no clue what you're talking about in that case.

Yep, I have no clue about computamagigs. Only been in IT for close to 15 years, and only have been building/upgrading my own PCs since the days when FPUs were a seperate chip on the motherboard and you had to manually set dip switches and set jumpers before plopping in an add-in card so it would work.

You're right, seeing the birth of 3D acceleration and gaming on a PC since back when EGA 16 color graphics were reserved for the rich, I have no idea about system performance. None. No siree.

I'm smart enough to know a MacBook air isn't 90% as powerful as its pro counterpart. Maybe I read the wrong spec sheet or just simply speaking to someone who doesn't know his numbers very well.

Performance is about more than sheer CPU/GPU power. The whole system counts. Synthetic benchmarks don't tell the whole story.

There's more to a spec sheet than GHZs. You've already shown you don't read them much beyond the CPU section with your comments about the MBA's weight and size.

 

[Murgatroyd314]

Performance is about more than sheer CPU/GPU power. The whole system counts. Synthetic benchmarks don't tell the whole story.

There's more to a spec sheet than GHZs. You've already shown you don't read them much beyond the CPU section with your comments about the MBA's weight and size.

You have claimed that the MBA has "about 90% of [the MBP's] computing power". If not benchmarks, then what exactly is that "90%" comparing? What number(s)? Or were you just speaking metaphorically?

 

[milo]

Can you show me where I can get a support contract for your hackintosh solution ? Otherwise, you're not changing my mind.

You've made it obvious that nothing is changing your mind on this.

The link I had is down at the moment. So here's another, for a product to be released in Q2 2012. Coincidentally, so does the Macbook Pro hopefully. http://www.sonnettech.com/news/pr2011/pr041111_thunderbolt.html If this does not satisfy you, feel free to google stuff yourself.

So at this point it doesn't exist, it's announced but still vaporware. Maybe I missed it, but looks like they haven't even announced pricing.

No support, could be broken by an update at any time

Funny, the same thing can describe a "real" mac as well. Either way people need to use common sense, just don't do an update in the middle of a big project.

 

[cmChimera]

So at this point it doesn't exist, it's announced but still vaporware. Maybe I missed it, but looks like they haven't even announced pricing.

Which is more than what I can say for a Macbook Pro that needs an adapter like the one mentioned...

 

[throAU]

Funny, the same thing can describe a "real" mac as well. Either way people need to use common sense, just don't do an update in the middle of a big project.

Yes, but then you can lodge a support ticket with apple, take to genius bar - if desperate, buy off-the-shelf, known compatible replacement hardware (that you know works with your app), etc.


If you have a vested interest in using OS X on non-sanctioned hardware and it breaks, you either have to faff about running older software, or you buy new hardware, or you give up your hackintosh.

If you're considering that IN A BUSINESS, where lost time = lost production = lost money, i maintain: YOU ARE INSANE.

Esecially when considering that IF apple was to come down on you for copyright violation (you realise your copy of OS X is not licensed without Apple hardware, right?) it is up to (or more than, from memory) $250k fine per offence for a commercial entity. I'm not saying they will, but do you really think a business wants to deliberately put themselves in that position? To save a couple of grand they will easily make back in less wasted time?

 

[milo]

if desperate, buy off-the-shelf, known compatible replacement hardware (that you know works with your app), etc.

If you're in such a bad situation that the only solution is buy another mac, isn't that an option with a hackintosh as well?

If you have a vested interest in using OS X on non-sanctioned hardware and it breaks, you either have to faff about running older software, or you buy new hardware, or you give up your hackintosh.

The only difference with real mac hardware is being able to take it in when it's under warranty...and in such a case you're still looking at potentially being without your machine for days. When your mac is out of warranty you're looking at the same situation, you buy new hardware or you give up your mac. I'm not sure what you mean by "faff about running older software", it's not like machines suddenly "break" in such a way that people have to switch to older software versions.

And I'd argue that it's safer to have a machine you've built yourself - you know what all the parts are and if one fails you can just buy a replacement and swap it in. With a mac, replacing a CPU or motherboard simply isn't an option (and on a number of macs it's tricky to swap even things like hard drives), you have no machine while it's being repaired.

If you're considering that IN A BUSINESS, where lost time = lost production = lost money, i maintain: YOU ARE INSANE.

Well then I guess you consider people who own "real" macs insane as well, if one breaks it's still lost time = lost production = lost money. And if you think that hackintoshes necessarily "break" more often then regular macs you're just ignorant of the facts. The last mac I bought had a hardware failure so I was without a computer for a few days while it was getting fixed under warranty. I've had my hackintosh for two and a half years without any down time.

Seems like some people picture hackintoshes suddenly bursting into flame or something.

Esecially when considering that IF apple was to come down on you for copyright violation...

And how exactly would apple know someone is using a hackintosh? And so far Apple has gone after people selling them but is there a single case of going after a user?